Institute for Exceptional Funeral Service

What impression do you make? Do you provide consistently high-quality experiences that families and loved ones remember forever? Making the best impression is key.  Making Best Impressions will provide many valuable skills and tips that will help you work more effectively with families. You will explore the best practices that have been identified by industry leaders. How you dress, stand, and present yourself influences how people interact with you. There are nuances to written and oral communication that will strengthen what you say. Simple tips can help people perceive you as being genuine and caring. If you are new to the profession or a seasoned professional who wants to sharpen your skills, this course is for you. About the Instructor. Fred Bayley is heralded as a service industry leader not only building extraordinary customer service but also creating service excellence. He has worked with many organizations in establishing a service culture. Fred was recognized as one of 30 visionaries in lifelong learning. He is an internationally known author, trainer, and speaker. This course is designed for New Professionals. Part of the Funeral Service Excellence Series, this course covers the key building blocks for the new funeral service professional. Registration includes a bound and printed manual mailed directly to students. Complete all four courses for a Service Excellence Certificate of Completion. These courses are perfect for anyone with three years of experience or less of working in any role within a funeral home, from reception to funeral assistant to funeral director. Read more

Are you ready for the phone call? It seems simple but it could be one of the most important things you do. Many of today's consumers are making arrangements for their loved ones for the first time. The connection you make with that potential family will be a deciding factor in them choosing your services. Your first impression telephone skills are necessary for successful relationships. Positive relationships help families make informed decisions. About the Instructor. Julie A. Burn, CCrE, CSE, has helped hundreds of Funeral Home professionals understand the value of how to answer the telephone. Julie is an internationally known author and trainer. She is known for simplifying the information so you can immediately apply what you've learned. Julie is a Cremation specialist with over 30 years of experience in the funeral profession. She currently serves in a business development role for Cremation Recycling. She has experience in various marketing roles in the business. This course is designed for Experienced Professionals, crafted to cover a variety of topics that are applicable to funeral service professionals of all experience levels. Read more

It’s no secret having the best employees are essential to your success. The pool of experienced candidates is limited. You must be creative in looking for new ways to recruit. Your onboarding process of new employees should help them effectively integrate into your team and the industry. Simple retention strategies reduce turnover and keep your in-depth knowledge and experience. By the end of this course, it will be easier to find and keep great employees.  Misty Sanders has 20 years in customer service and 15 years in human resources positions. She has honed her skills in recruiting, on-boarding, performance appraisals, employee engagement, conducting internal investigations, coaching & counseling, benefits and more. Misty has her Society of Human Resources Senior Certified Professional Certification (SHRM-SCP) and a Master of Business Administration, Human Resource Management through Capella University. Read more

This course consists of a training video designed to help funeral home employees understand what harassment is, how to recognize it, and what to do if they are being harassed or witness harassment.  It also includes a brief interactive quiz to ensure your employees understand the content of the video in workplace situations.   This course can be completed in approximately 30 minutes. Read more